Researchers studying kelp forests around the Shetland Islands were greeted by a surprise visitor that had snuck onboard their boat. “We walked out onto the deck of the boat and, to our surprise, there was a sea otter just sat on the deck,” says Dr Dan Smale, senior research fellow at the Marine Biological Association, which shared the […]
Tag: Sea Otter
Endangered Species Day Comes as Wildlife Face a New Crisis
May 16 is Endangered Species Day, founded to honor the incredible biodiversity that the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has helped conserve for more than half a century. Thanks to the ESA, sea otters still splash along the Pacific coastline, grizzly bears roam the Northern Rockies, and California condors once again soar over the Southwest. Since […]
Sea Otters Save California’s Kelp Forests from Extinction
Southern sea otters, known for their playful antics and endearing appearances, are more than just charming residents of California’s central coast. Over the past century, they have played a crucial role in preventing the widespread decline of kelp forests, providing an unexpected yet vital service to these underwater ecosystems. From Near Extinction to Environmental Stewards […]
Otter-preneurs: Female sea otters lead the way in tool use for survival
In California’s Monterey Bay, where the vast Pacific Ocean meets lush kelp forests, sea otters, especially the females, are becoming more resourceful. These charismatic marine mammals, known for their playful nature and voracious appetites, are facing new challenges and using tools to overcome them. For generations, southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) have relied on […]
Sacramento Mom Rescues Baby Otter from Busy Road, Community Steps in
Samantha Pruitt, a soon-to-be mom, found herself in an unexpected situation when her maternal instincts led her to rescue a baby otter from a perilous situation on a busy Sacramento road. The heartwarming tale began when Pruitt noticed a tiny creature in the middle of the road, amidst the chaos of passing vehicles. Ignoring the […]
Surrogate otter mom at aquarium is rehabilitating pup ‘better than any human ever can’
Millie, a fatigued mother of an infant, was ready for a nap. So she grabbed her baby, flipped it around, threw it on her belly and started grooming its tail—a soothing behavior. Millie, a sea otter, is rearing what could be the Aquarium of the Pacific’s first orphaned pup to return to the wild. As […]
Sea Otters Helped Minimize Kelp Forest Loss in California, Study Finds
Researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California have linked sea otters to healthy kelp forests off the West Coast. According to a new study published in the journal PLOS Climate, the recovery of Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) in central California happened at the same time that kelp forests in the same […]
Unique new book provides further insights into the world of the elusive otter
The first book providing spectacular photographs and an insight into the lives and behaviour of ALL 13 species of otters has now been launched. It contains detailed information about the magnificent Giant Otter of the Amazon, the tiny Asian Small-Clawed Otter so often found in zoos, the Sea Otter with its charming habits of cracking […]